Like this:

box. This isn’t on the list, but Tercera Caida has been moved to Saturday again this week, airing at 9:30 AM.

== AAA ==

AAA-Televisa: Last week’s episode shows clips of the opener from Irapuato, so that and the trios title match. It seems like the newest pattern is to show a third match only on the UTDN show (on Thursdays) – maybe that’ll be the Apaches/Atomic Boy match?

AAA-Fusion: Today’s episode – show seems to be moved to Thursdays – showed both Fusion tournament matches so far. If AAA is announcing the Rey de Reyes card next week (good chance!) and if the Fusion tournament final is on Rey de Reyes (unclear chance!), then they’d probably want to air the other two four ways as soon as possible, and this week’s episode gave the impression that would be next week.

== CMLL ==

Galavision/Televisa: Namajague/Okumura vs Stuka/Cometa is a Televisa feud, lightning match usually ends up here too, and the Tuareg match always oddly ends up here too. I wonder if guys get paid differently based on which network airs their matches; that would start to explain some choices.

FOX: This seems to be the Volador/Sombra show, and the main event ends up here by default. Fox Deportes US has updated it’s schedule – it looks like every episode of this show will air, but almost never on Saturdays. Some episodes will air on Sundays, some episodes will be pushed to the following Friday. (That’s the deal with the episode airing this Friday, it’s the Sombra vs Volador final which aired in Mexico last Saturday.)

52MX: set up for the Arena Coliseo debut, Mistico’s debut.

C3: Everything airs but the lighting match. Sangre Neuva Block A is the highlight.

GDL: Feed was working Thursday night. They did not air a new episode and may be out of order now, but the usual taping has Averno/Mephisto/Terrible vs Maximo/Shocker/Thunder in the main event, and more of the Cometa/Stuka vs Namajague/Okumura feud.

IWRG-AYM Sports: Latin American Sports, a sister network of AYM Sports, lists Lucha Libre on Sunday evening, the same time the IWRG show airs on AYM. I think they’ve picked up the show (winter baseball is over, spring baseball hasn’t started), but you never know. They did NOT air a new episode last week; this episode should be the mask match if they air live. I really hope the mask match turns up.

IWRG-TVC Deportes: I’ve been a week of here; they’re on an 10 day delay, so this is the week with Mesias and LA Park.

Noches de Coliseo: Seem to be airing 2 matches from Sunday, 2 matches from Tuesday, and 2 matches from who knows.

Like this:

Dr. Wagner Jr. went to Saltillo to talk to college students about sexually transmitted diseases, and all this article about it wants to talk about is CMLL and AAA. A tremendous disappointment. The only info we get is the name of the program, “Ponte la Mascara”, a program to encourage condom usage. I have so many more questions, and the Wagner/CMLL/AAA thing is not nearly as weird. Dr. Wagner’s new new new new newest story goes this way: AAA wasn’t giving him enough work, so Wagner went to the independents to get some more, and CMLL contacted Wagner for him to come in so he could get some work. (That is not true.) “I don’t know how AAA found out”, says microphone friendly Dr. Wagner. Truly a mystery! Dorian was going to sue Dr. Wagner for a million dollars, so Wagner was forced to cancel his CMLL bookings and serve out his contract until 2014. AAA can’t stop him from working with El Hijo del Santo and Wagner will be working those dates. If Wagner and AAA are now agreeing he’s working with them until 2014, then maybe everyone can stop doing interviews with him about this for 10 months. Wagner might also wrestle for AAA, but I’m less interested in that part.

El Fantasma wants CMLL wrestlers to sign up for the new lucha libre insurance plan. Fantasma mentions CMLL will help out wrestlers who’ve been hurt in their rings, but it doesn’t extend to outside the ring and it doesn’t cover their families. If something happens to your family while you’re already out hurt, you’re out of luck, and it’s too late to do anything when you’ve already used up your money paying bills. The insurance he’s offering covers the luchador’s families as well, and Fantasma says the insurance is free. This lucha libre healthy insurance program is a very small part of a greater Mexico City plan to enroll 700,000 uninsured people into free health care programs this year. AAA wrestlers were in attendance at a large event in Arena Ciudad Mexico to push the program.

Villano V/Ray Mendoza Jr. held a press conference for his retirement show yesterday. MedioTiempo and R de Rudo have recaps, and Black Terry Jr. has photos. Villano V explained here that he was retiring because he didn’t want to be a guy who hung around too long and went downhill physically. (Older brother Villano III, also at the press conference, thought that was a good decision but said he’d be wrestling for a while longer.) Villano V mentioned he’d asked CMLL to use their wrestlers, and some had expressed interested, but CMLL did not approve of that idea. Villano V took a shot at El Hijo del Santo’s wife, Gabriela Obregón, referencing the TxT veto and mentioning their money from their show would go to charity. Rayman and Cien Caras Jr. are off that card for that reason, with Heavy Metal and Mascara Ano 2000 Jr. replacing them.

Psycho Circus and Drago were part of a press conference for Sunday’s AAA TV taping. Not much new info. Drago mentions he’d like to face Psicosis, then get a shot at either Daga’s Cruiserweight title or even the DTU Alto Impact championship (currently held by Flamita.)

Culinary Backstreets visits El Cuadrilátero, Super Astro’s original restaurant which turns 21 years old this year. I was surprised to find out it still exists, because interviews with Super Astro the last few years have suggested it was gone or at least in new ownership. This article explains it’s owned María Guadalupe Cortés, mentioned as Super Astro’s ex-wife, so that probably explains that. You can still get the giant Gladiador sandwich (or a smaller junior one.)

A few more details on the Monterrey lucha libre exhibit. Orlando Jimenez and Christian Cymet are responsible for the event; this is a traveling exhibit which has been in other locations. There will be panel discussions with Mil Mascaras, Tinieblas, Alushe, Chucho Mar Jr., Galactar, Mr. Line and others. The exhibit will be in el Museo del Noreste until June 30th.

the cover proclaims “Sin Cara (Antes Mistico), A La Arena Mexico!”. Now, I write about a lot of stuff here, and I forget almost all of it as soon as I’ve written it, but I like to think I’d remember if that one happened. It turns out to be a hilarious Dia de la Inocentes joke, which I’m sure everyone who spent money to buy the magazine thought was funny

In an interview with Barbaro Cavernario (Guadalajara) mentions he’d like to team with his brotherm Demonio Maya.

the story about Relampago training with Arkangel in hopes to get in CMLL. That one is one I’ve blocked out of my mind.

Rey Bucanero talks about his knee injury, say he’s aiming for a March return (which still seems to be the case.) The knee was much more damaged than they thought; he and his doctor expected him to be out only 3-4 weeks, and it’s going to be around 4 months. Bucanero was very disappointed not to go to Japan.

Sangre Azteca roots for America.

Box Y Lucha #3113 (cover date 01/14/2013)

not a lot of new news. This is the week of Sin Cara’s gym opening and just prior to FantasicaManaia

tease of a In Memoriam/Barbaro vs Esfinge/Smaker match for the vacant Occidente Tag Team titles, which doesn’t seem to have turned out.

Oriental says he started his career as ‘Acorazado Moreno’, the same name his father used, for the first two years of his career, his favorite partner was Tsubasa and his favorite rivals were Abismo Negro, La Fiera, and Dynamite Kid.

Box Y Lucha #3114 (cover date 01/21/2013)

Headline: “I [Averno] had talks with a North American promotion.” You don’t say! Averno maintains they were only talks, nothing more Averno says 2012 overall was a year of opportunities for him, some exploited, some not so much, but his plans are to be the best rudo in CMLL and make the Hijos de Averno the best trio. Averno talks about his father, Rodolfo Ruiz, who’s been missing from CMLL rings for a while. Averno says says his father had health issues 2.5 months ago, but is doing better and hopes to return to the ring soon. (Averno says Rodolfo would be back at the end of January, which does not appear to have happened, unless they’ve put him in Puebla and I’ve missed him.)

Rey Cometa says, despite losing his mask, 2012 was a good year for him – he’s moved up the cards, gotten more opportunities, and is one of the best flyers in the promotion. He’s wants to show that a guy from Queretaro is as a good as anyone from Comarca Lagunera or Guadalajara.

Herodes has 15 sons, most professionals in their field. Herodes Jr. and the masked Maquina Asesina are the only luchadors.

Guadalajara’s Pirana is originally from Torreon.

Luchas 2000 #655 (cover date 01/21/2013)

Karlo Colin talks to Hector Garza’s wife for an update – Hector was hospitalized for pneumonia, but recovered and is back at home. They appreciate all the support

lots of push for the Brazos show

interview with Alberto Munoz, one of only 7 people to win three different national championships (and possibly the most obscure one). I need to grab this one for the wiki later.

Rayo de Jalisco mentions he’s got tours for “Europe, Asia, and Japan” in May or June, but he’s really like to face Canek in a mask match in 2013.

Blue Demon mentions he’s only working in Mexico a bit because he’s on TV in the US so much.

Perro Aguayo Jr. has plans for lots of shows in 2013, with lots of international talent.

Metatron’s goal for 2013: be in Mexico City more.

Box Y Lucha #3115 (cover date 01/28/2013)

A cover blurb says Hector Garza is in a fight for his life. You will find no article about Hector Garza in this magazine, but a brief mention of him at the end of the Palqiue Enmascarados column mentioning Hector is stable and fightning.

magazine spells it “Thunderbir” in the headline, then “Thunderbird” in the text.

Vangelis wants a shot at the world heavyweight title! I’m not sure I’m ready for Terrible vs Vangelis, though imagine if Rush had won that title. He still would like that match for the national light heavyweight title, but it’s not his focus right now.

Fenix – who roots for Toluca – says his worst match was the one late last year where he was bizarrely teaming with Amazona & Ludark to face Kristal, Sadica, and Pasion Kristal. Yea, that was a weird one.

SuperLuchas #499 (cover date 02/17/2013)

El Fantasma talks about the insurance program. He mentions it’s open to luchadors, boxers, announcers and referees. Fantamsa is asked about the XMW show where Astro de Plata show was hurt, and says it was not sanctioned by him – they had sanctioned the one where his son main evented, but noticed many problems. He read the promoter the riot act after he found out what happened (from Astro de Plata’s family) and the promoter must have an ambulance on hand and a plan to help any injured luchadors if he runs another show. After health insurance, Fantasma’s next goal is working on retirement benefits for the luchadors.

A long interview with Konnan. A lot of stuff you’ve heard/seen in English restated for a Mexican audience: he doesn’t not like El Hijo Del Santo or Santo’s comments on Konnan and lays out his case for a page and half. Konnan agrees that AAA has things to fix: luchadors using language on microphones they shouldn’t use in front of families, not dressing up like stars, rudos acting like tecnicos and a general lack of professionalism. Konnan complains that he and Dorian are doing the jobs of five people from WWE & TNA, the lack of merchandising, people who’ve been around for two years and still don’t know the luchadors or the feuds, and the lack of information on the website. Both Dorian and Konnan are very high on social media, teases the international announcement and feels there needs to be new faces on the top of the card – ‘if you see a poster for four years ago, it looks a lot like today’. Some luchadors need to understand they don’t have to leave, but they do have to move down to make room for new people. In answering criticism about the style of lucha libre, Konnan says people need to stop paying attention to internet people who don’t really know anything. Konnan ends with a long speech about how the economy is growing again and he hopes lucha libre grows with it.

SuperLuchas #500 (cover date 02/24/2013)

Congrats on #500! It’s a low key celebration; a lot of the columns talk about it being the 500th edition, but it’s also more of a regular issue than a special edition. There is a nice feature on other lucha magazines which reached 500 and what they were writing about that time.

Rush goes third person in an interview, which is so great. He doesn’t have much to say: Rush is never satisfied! Rush thanks his father for teaching him humility! Rush is the best rudo and will continue to give 1000%.

Dark Angel, often featured in the magazine, talks about her career interlinked with Monterrey. Her first time on the cover was back when she lost her mask to Princesa Sugheit. Dark Angel feels 2013 will be full of changes, one of which is Angel herself heading to Japan in March to work for Stardom again for 3 months, including a 04/29 show at Sumo Hall. She mentions learning from the people she met in TNA and learning to take herself less seriously, and how she’d like an opportunity in WWE.

Cronicas Y Leyendas explains the reason behind the Televicentro 50s lucha promotion – they wanted something to popularize the network, and it was cheaper/easier to do wrestling in a studio than go to remote locations for soccer.

Like this:

CMLL (MON) 02/25/2013Arena Puebla [Porra Fresa]
Attendance: 1000
1) Asturiano, Black Tiger, Tigre Rojo Jr. b Akron, Blue Center, SaurónTecnicos took 1/3 with simultaneous pins in the third.
2) Metálico, Molotov, Pegasso b Hijo del Signo, Hooligan, TaurusTecnicos took 1/3. Metalico continued his winning form by submitting Signo.
3) Pequeño Olímpico b Astral [CMLL MINI]Pequeno Olimpico came in as champ. He took falls 2/3, submitting Astral in the third for his third defense.
4) Ángel de Oro, Blue Panther, Máscara Dorada b Ephesto, Puma, VangelisVangelis replaced Black Warrior. Weird finish to the first fall, where Panther had Ephesto pinned for three, but Ephesto was ruled to have submitted Panther before the three count. Dorada surprised Puma with a torito in the the second. Vangelis fell on Dorada in the third while catching a dive and Dorada looked hurt. Oro submitted Ephesto, and the tecnicos brought Dorada back in the ring after the match. Money was thrown in.
5) La Sombra, Mistico, Thunder b Kráneo, Psicosis, Volador Jr.Volador Jr. replaced Olimpico. Tecnicos took 2/3, with pins by Thunder on Kraneo (spinning side slam) and Mistico on Psicosis (huracarrana). Mistico looked better this week.

Morphosis was in for the CMLL Light Heavyweight contenders cibernetico last month. This is his first trios match in Arena Mexico since September. My hunch is the rudo side changes was an typing error or miscommunication; Euforia, Niebla Roja and Ultimo Guerrero are listed as main eventing Friday’s show, and it’s exceptionally rare for the same trio to be in back to back Tuesday/Friday main events together. Angel de Oro could be the same thing, but he’s also had knee problems of late.

Soberano winning is a bit of a surprise and a nice win. It looks like an all out action match, including a quadruple dive spot and a stage dive bit. Hombre Bala (and CMLL) must be okay with the apron Spanish Fly bit because Bala did it to Soberano here again, and it wasn’t even the finish. Soberano’s stated goal is to team with his father and he’s now a step closer.

Mesias hypes Sunday’s AAA Sin Limite taping in SLP. The card rundown lists Konnan as a referee. That would normally seem like just a weird typo, but that’s how we found out Sexi Star was a guest referee for the match at Heroes Inmortales (and they never really ran an angle to explain it ahead of time.)

Tickets are on sale for the TxT return show on 03/23. The page lists the partial lineup for the show, which hasn’t been announced yet as far as I can find. There’s a minis match (Tzuki/Dorada vs Lobito/Rockerito) and a young guys match (Saruman/Dinamic Black vs Imposible/Alan Extreme), and something with Angel Blanco Jr., Hijo del Solitario, Dr. Wagner Jr. and Rayman which isn’t very clear. The main event will be Santo defending his WBC/CMB welterweight championship against a contender to be determined – two Americans and 1 Canadian will face off, winner vs Santo. The names of the outsiders are not mentioned. Ticket prices run from $590 ($46.10 USD) ringside down to $70 ($5.47 USD).

Rush’s match in Guatemala didn’t happen. Promotion says his plane was supposed to get in at noon, but it was delayed until 8pm (after the show.) They held a battle royal to set up a title match next week instead. Goya Kong is headed there on March 17.

Guerrero Maya and Black Warrior have a thing. I have no idea what that thing is, but Maya seems to annoy Warrior less than all the other young guys annoy him.

Super Halcon Jr. is the most advanced of this Sangre Nueva group and Oro Jr. is the most promising, but neither would be a good fit with Soberano in the final. I kind of want to see Zayco in the final because just to see what the match would be like, but Disturbio or Taurus seem better chances. Soberano moving from the 1’s to the 2’s would be fine, but none of the potential winners seem ready to move up to the 3’s on a regular basis. We’re supposed to be under the impression that Inquisidor is a new brother of Polvora (and Vaquero just happens to be standing off camera in all the pictures), but Sensei has been here under that name since 2005 and is 34 years old. I feel better knowing I’m still eligible for this tournament.

The Terrible/Thunder feud continues here. Might Thunder get his first singles match before his Arena Mexico debut?

Guadalajara brought back the Occidente titles to actually use them, not just hand them out like other places. Two seem like enough, and it’s a long time before they’re meaningful, but they’ve made a nice start of it.

No one mentions any problems between Dragon Rojo and Ultimo Guerrero. No one mentions there should be problems either.

The CMLL Gaceta preview for tonight’s show says it’s a rare occasion to see the Invasors in Arena Mexico. They were just there challenging for the trios titles last Sunday. I dunno. (Morphosis does rarely appear, which they correctly point out.) The Sangre Nueva tournament begins again, with Hombre Bala Jr. and Bobby Zavala among the favorites for this group. The show also has a Delta/Negro Casas lightning match, and another Tuareg vs Cancerberos match.

There’s also a IWRG FILL show tonight in Arena Naucalpan. It’s another battle with the Konkreto Gym. The FILL kids beat them in the cage match, but have yet to win a cibernetico against Fuerza Guerrera’s guys.

CMLL’s shuffled the Incredible Pairs teams for Friday. The Mascara Dorada/Mephisto and Averno/Mascara teams I whined about on Saturday are now back together as originally announced, and Kraneo now teams up with Marco Corleone. Maybe this’ll lead to those in their first ever lightning match.

Arena Xalapa is advertising Joe Lider, Fenix, X-Fly, Eterno for their 03/17 show. That’s the same day as Rey de Reyes, which means they would be off that card – except Dr. Lucha mentioned a plan to conclude the Fusion tournament at Rey de Reyes (and I’ve since heard the same thing), and Fenix is in the finals of that tournament. I’m not sure what the deal is.

Trauma II gave an explanation about how Oficial 911 ended up back in the mask match on Facebook. He reminds us that he and Angel were upset with how Oficial 911 won the triangle match last Sunday – Oficial 911 snuck back in the ring while the other two were counted out and said so on Tercera Caida. The commission, which Trauma II notes usually doesn’t take care of injustices when they’re supposed to, though they were being fair to Angel and Trauma by putting 911 back in the match. (That darn commission!) Trauma II doesn’t agree with this at all, and now feels like his chances of holding on to his mask are even smaller, but he’s going to accept the situation and take 911’s mask this Sunday.

Groon XXX is among the indy names working Arena Aficion next Tuesday. There was a ‘where are they are now’ answer I gave about a month ago, mostly saying people weren’t around any more, and they’ve all returned since I said that. Don’t listen to me.

Ricky Marvin & Super Crazy won in the main event thee way tag match of the NGX (Monterrey) show, but some fans were unhappy because it was a Strong Style match with little weapon usage in a hardcore promotion, and those fans wanted more an extreme match. They style they did left Marvin and Erick Snake hurt still; the Marvin injury sounds like a concussion, which would be very concerning since he just had another one about 10 days ago, but assuming we know anything about these guys medical histories would seem to be a bad bet.

An arena in Xalapa was to be shut down to due to civil authorities declaring the building unfit for use, so the last show featured an extreme match where ‘more than 250 light tubes were broken’.

Astro Rey Jr. and the Tercera Caida guys must’ve patiently explained how that main event works at least 3 different times last week, and I still have no idea. This is a benefit show for Astro de Plata (Astro Rey Jr.’s brother.) SuperLuchas listed another Astro de Plata show on Sunday with Tiffany and Magnus.

Semimain is a mixed tag, with wife (Jarochita) and husband (Exorcista) on opposite sides.

Poster here. Pretty amazing Dr. Wagner Jr. was saying he’d be at Dos Leyendas when he had this match booked for the same night. (Unless you want to believe someone put this show together in the last few days, which – nah.) On the same tip, Dr. Lucha mentioned last week that Dr. Wagner is heavily disliked by CMLL management at the moment – more so than Santo! – and it’ll be a long time before he’s back. For his own part, Dr. Wagner’s latest run of interviews have moved the goal posts to the Anniversary show. I wish Dr. Wagner’s biggest fans better understood his dedication to performance art.

That’s PWG/SoCal’s RockNES Monsters in the opener (and I probably have the other team wrong), in a weird world’s collide situation.

Ultimo Guerrero is in surprising. He’s had plenty of singles matches that are essentially one fall and ten minutes, but none where that’s especially the rules. CMLL seems reluctant to put Marco Corleone in many singles matches, which I’m always disappointed by. Brazo de Plata in a singles match would be a bad idea. The Invasors have more often been in trios and Morphosis hasn’t been around much, but it seems odd Psicosis hasn’t had one. Nitro would’ve surely had one by now if he was healthy long enough.

Having a lightning match, and having a lighting match recently are two different things. Here’s the most recent dates for lightning matches for everyone who has had one: